5 Medical Malpractice Stats in the U.S. That Will Shock You

In recent years, more and more news about medical malpractice hit the headlines, resulting in increased fears and anxiety towards the healthcare industry.

Here are five shocking statistics about medical malpractice that you need to know:

Stat # 1: According to USA TODAY’s review of the U.S.’s National Practitioner Data Bank public use file, over 1,000 medical doctors have issued payments to either settle or close claims for medical malpractice in surgical cases since 2005. These cases consisted of claims for “unnecessary or inappropriate” medical procedures.

Stat # 2: In one review of medical malpractice cases across the U.S., researchers found that majority (60 percent) of the plaintiff patients were female with an average age of 38 years old. About 12 percent of the 1,452 resolved medical malpractice cases that were reviewed involved people aged 65 years old while one-fifth involved newborn infants. Hiring a seasoned medical malpractice attorney to assist you is the first step you can do.

Stat # 3: Errors in surgical procedure make up 34 percent of the medical malpractice claims among inpatients. Among the outpatients, diagnosis errors account for approximately 46 percent of all the claims.

Stat # 4: Among the medical malpractice cases, only 7 percent reach the point of a jury verdict. This means that 93 percent of them are settled before it even reaches a trial.

Stat # 5: In a 2016 study, researchers found that the rates of “medical errors” that occur in both hospitals and other healthcare settings across the U.S. have become increasingly high. In fact, medical errors could be the third-leading cause of death in the country. Based on the study, medical errors lead to 251,000 deaths annually, a rate which is higher than the ones claimed by stroke, Alzheimer’s and respiratory illnesses.

Seek the Legal Help You Need

It's best to get some professional help if you think you need legal assistance for a medical procedure that has gone wrong. Your lawyer will conduct a thorough review of the case to see if the case is actionable.